The Washington Way of Open Data: Advancing Public Access

Washington State's approach to open data, emphasizing community stewardship and digital accessibility, is showcased through key laws, strategies, and shortcuts for responding to public records requests efficiently. Discover the evolution of open data initiatives and statutory frameworks guiding electronic records management.

• Open Data
• Washington State
• Public Records
• Accessibility
• Legislative Framework

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1. Richard Campbell (HCA) richard.campbell@hca.wa.gov Travis Elsom (King County) Travis.Elsom@kingcounty.gov James Gutholm (PDC) james.gutholm@pdc.wa.gov Nancy Krier (ATG) NancyK1@ATG.WA.GOV Open Data Tactics, Strategies and Shortcuts Ryan Leisinger (OCIO) ryan.leisinger@ocio.wa.gov Vel Rajagopal (DOL) IPMA Forum Panel Discussion -- May 2015 VRajagopal@DOL.WA.GOV Drafts of this presentation are available here: http://1drv.ms/1R2kDVY And here: https://sway.com/4DnmuGTV-Gk6CqLa

2. THE WASHINGTON WAY OF OPEN DATA It s not a new thing Community Stewardship Geospatial Geography.wa.gov In the Beginning: Public Records Act Workforce ESD LMEA data.wa.gov LMEA General: data.wa.gov 1995 Task Force Report Services Eligibility Washington connection Access Washington 2005 Geospatial standards Performance: Results WA 2010 Data.wa.gov Washington connection Washington connection Education ERDC 2014 HB 2202 Business Licensing Business.wa.gov Financial Fiscal.wa.gov Business.wa.gov ERDC It s just time to come back to it http://open-data.wa.gov Fiscal.wa.gov Link Link

3. Some Washington State Laws of Interest Public Records, Electronic Access, etc. Skip Skip

4. HOW TO SHORTCUT PUBLIC RECORDS Responding to requests for agencies public records via websites RCW 42.56.520: An agency may respond to a public records request by providing an internet address and link on the agency's web site to the specific records requested, except that if the requester notifies the agency that he or she cannot access the records through the internet, then the agency must provide copies of the record or allow the requester to view copies using an agency computer[.] Legislative finding following RCW 42.56.520: "The internet provides for instant access to public records at a significantly reduced cost to the agency and the public. Agencies are encouraged to make commonly requested records available on agency web sites. When an agency has made records available on its web site, members of the public with computer access should be encouraged to preserve taxpayer resources by accessing those records online." [2010 c 69 1]

5. OCIO STATUTES RCW 43.41A Electronic records provisions generally RCW 43.41A.115: Based upon the recommendations of the public information access policy task force, the legislature finds that government records and information are a vital resource to both government operations and to the public that government serves. Broad public access to state and local government records and information has potential for expanding citizen access to that information and for improving government services. Electronic methods for locating and transferring information can improve linkages between and among citizens, organizations, businesses, and governments. Information must be managed with great care to meet the objectives of citizens and their governments. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage state and local governments to develop, store, and manage their public records and information in electronic formats to meet their missions and objectives. Further, it is the intent of the legislature for state and local governments to set priorities for making public records widely available electronically to the public.

6. Planning. RCW 43.41A.125: Within existing resources, state agencies shall plan for and implement processes for making information available electronically. Public demand and agencies' missions and goals shall drive the selection and priorities for government information to be made available electronically. When planning for increased public electronic access, agencies should determine what information the public wants and needs most. Widespread public electronic access does not mean that all government information is able to be made available electronically.

7. Costs and fees RCW 43.41A.130: Funding to meet the costs of providing access, including the building of the necessary information systems, the digitizing of information, developing the ability to mask nondisclosable information, and maintenance and upgrade of information access systems should come primarily from state and local appropriations, federal dollars, grants, private funds, cooperative ventures among governments, nonexclusive licensing, and public/private partnerships. Agencies should not offer customized electronic access services as the primary way of responding to requests or as a primary source of revenue. Fees for staff time to respond to requests, and other direct costs may be included in costs of providing customized access. Agencies and local governments are encouraged to pool resources and to form cooperative ventures to provide electronic access to government records and information. State agencies are encouraged to seek federal and private grants for projects that provide increased efficiency and improve government delivery of information and services.

8. EXAMPLES OF STATUTORY WEBSITES PUBLIC DISCLOSURE COMMISSION RCW 42.17A.050: The commission shall operate a web site or contract for the operation of a web site that allows access to reports, copies of reports, or copies of data and information submitted in reports, filed with the commission under RCW 42.17A.205, 42.17A.225, 42.17A.235, 42.17A.255, 42.17A.265, 42.17A.600, 42.17A.615, 42.17A.625, and 42.17A.630. In addition, the commission shall attempt to make available via the web site other public records submitted to or generated by the commission that are required by this chapter to be available for public use or inspection. Legislative finding following RCW 42.17A.050: The legislature finds that government information is a strategic resource and needs to be managed as such and that broad public access to nonrestricted public information and records must be guaranteed. The legislature further finds that reengineering government processes along with capitalizing on advancements made in digital technology can build greater efficiencies in government service delivery. The legislature further finds that providing citizen electronic access to presently available public documents will allow increased citizen involvement in state policies and empower citizens to participate in state policy decision making." [1994 c 40 1]

9. OSPI, LCB OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION RCW 28A.405.106(5): The office of the superintendent of public instruction must maintain a web site that includes the online professional development materials along with sample evaluation forms and templates, links to relevant research on evaluation and on high quality teaching and leadership, samples of contract and collective bargaining language on key topics, examples of multiple measures of teacher and principal performance, suggestions for data to measure student growth, and other tools that will assist school districts in implementing the revised evaluation systems. LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD RCW 66.28.035(3): The liquor control board must maintain on its web site a list of all purchasers that meet the conditions of subsection (2) [spirit licensees] of this section.

10. ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY RCW 70.95N.180: The department shall maintain on its web site the following information: (a) The names of the manufacturers and the manufacturer's brands that are registered with the department under RCW 70.95N.040; (b) The names of the manufacturers and the manufacturer's brands that are participating in an approved plan under RCW 70.95N.050; (c) The names and addresses of the collectors and transporters that are listed in registrations filed with the department under RCW 70.95N.240; (d) The names and addresses of the processors used to fulfill the requirements of the plans; (e) For program years 2009 through 2015, return and equivalent shares for all manufacturers. (2) The department shall update this web site information promptly upon receipt of a registration or a report.

11. LEAP & OFM OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & LEGISLATIVE EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM RCW 44.48.150: Provides that state expenditure and capital budget data is to be available on a website, and that The web site must be easy to use, contain current and readily available data, and allow for review and analysis by the public. The legislative evaluation and accountability program committee must test the web site with potential users to ensure that it is easy to navigate and comprehend. Legislative findings following RCW 44.48.150: Provide that the intent of law is to contribute to governmental accountability, public participation, agency efficiency, and open government. [2013 c 327 1] [2008 c 326 1]

12. ADMIN PROCEDURES ACT RULE MAKING STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT RCW 34.05.270: Within existing resources, each state agency shall maintain a web site that contains the agency's rule-making information. A direct link to the agency's rule-making page must be displayed on the agency's homepage. The rule-making web site shall include the complete text of all proposed rules, emergency rules, and permanent rules proposed or adopted within the past twelve months, or include a direct link to the index page on the Washington State Register web site that contains links to the complete text of all proposed rules, emergency rules, and permanent rules proposed or adopted within the past twelve months by that state agency. For proposed rules, the time, date, and place for the rule-making hearing and the procedures and timelines for submitting written comments and supporting data must be posted on the web site.

13. THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA STANDARDS Standards are great when pretty much everyone uses them, but have we ever had money to implement a real standard? How do we know which standards to follow? Haven t we been here before?

14. MANAGING WORKABLE DATA RELATIONSHIPS We get a ton of records requests from companies who package our data and sell it what s up with that? But we also have some old database reports that go to universities or steady companies. Where does that data go? Should we put in the work to clean up and publish open data or put the same effort into maintaining our data sharing agreements?

15. LOW-STRESS ARCHITECTURE What tactics can agencies use in their systems architecture to make publishing open data easier? Our biggest operations database was built during the Reagan administration do we really want to open that can? How do we connect Enterprise Content Management to Open Data?

16. Richard Campbell (HCA) richard.campbell@hca.wa.gov Travis Elsom (King County) Travis.Elsom@kingcounty.gov James Gutholm (PDC) Q&A / Contact Info james.gutholm@pdc.wa.gov Nancy Krier (ATG) Will Saunders NancyK1@ATG.WA.GOV Open Data Program Manager Ryan Leisinger (OCIO) Will.Saunders@ocio.wa.gov ryan.leisinger@ocio.wa.gov http://open-data.wa.gov Vel Rajagopal (DOL) https://www.yammer.com/opendatainitiative/ VRajagopal@DOL.WA.GOV Drafts of this presentation are available here: http://1drv.ms/1R2kDVY and here: https://sway.com/4DnmuGTV-Gk6CqLa

17. DATA TOOLS FOR BUSINESS FOLK - Excel Excel Microsoft Excel Power BI preview Installed on almost every computer in government, and the go-to tool for ad-hoc analysis. Advanced users can use server data and pivot tables to produce live and flexible visuals. There are over 17,000 Excel documents on state government websites. State employees can take their knowledge to the next level with the Microsoft IT Academy offered through the State Library and DES. PowerBI is a new MS offering in preview.

18. DATA TOOLS FOR BUSINESS FOLK ArcGIS Online ArcGIS Online ESRI ArcGIS Online is the enterprise tool of choice for geospatial analysis. Quick to start, available on an enterprise level, and offering a long list of capabilities. It s the online offshoot of ArcGIS s desktop and server applications. Great for analysts, teachers, policy staff.

19. DATA TOOLS FOR BUSINESS FOLK - Socrata Socrata Data.wa.gov, Data.results.wa.gov Results Washington and Data.wa.gov run on software-as-a-service from Socrata, a Seattle-based company that makes a couple of data storage and visualization options. Non-technical staff can produce line, bar and pie charts, simple maps, tables and calendars from data they upload or a feed from an agency server. Export to Excel or Tableau with OData. Embeddable HTML widgets. Limited graphic flexibility, but high reliability, enterprise contract and almost unlimited dataset size.

20. DATA TOOLS FOR BUSINESS FOLK - Tableau Tableau Public Tableau Software Tableau Public is the free version of the powerful desktop visualization application from Seattle-based Tableau Software. Great for more advanced analysts who want control over details and a wide range of options. Works with OData exports, Azure, Amazon and direct import. Shares visualizations in a web- based community gallery, and makes embeddable HTML widgets.

21. DATA TOOLS FOR BUSINESS FOLK D3 D3 Open Source clip_image001 D3 is a different approach to software it s a collection of javascript libraries that you configure manually and embed in your HTML page of choice. Wide variety of embeddable widgets in a cool gallery. Can be used by intermediate to advanced web developers, and popular with journalists, statisticians and students.

22. Geospatial Geography.wa.gov data.wa.gov LMEA Workforce ESD LMEA Community Stewardship General: data.wa.gov Services Eligibility Washington connection Access Washington Performance: Results WA Washington connection Washington connection Education ERDC Business Licensing Business.wa.gov Financial Fiscal.wa.gov Business.wa.gov ERDC Fiscal.wa.gov Back Back